Rule of the road rogues

Many autorickshaw drivers in this city have perfected the art of breaking rules under the benevolent gaze of their biggest benefactors: police. From red lights and parking norms to passenger limits, no rule is stringent enough to restrain their auto-cracy. Worse, everything happens right under the policeís nose.

Calcuttans Liza and Sandip Biswas would know how reluctant the cops are to act against the auto brigade. Nobody has been arrested yet for the assault on the couple on Sarat Bose Road on Thursday for stopping an auto driver who had damaged their car. The main accused and two accomplices have surrendered and got bail without spending a minute in lock-up. On Sunday, the Alipore court questioned the police probe, saying the case merited an abduction charge based on Lizaís description of how she was forced into an auto and driven off to a lane where 20-odd drivers allegedly attacked her a second time. Tomorrow, it could be you.

A four-hour Metro trip across the city, starting 1.30pm on Monday, revealed one glaring auto violation after the other with the traffic police on duty playing indulgent patrons of the indiscipline.